Electrical isolation of an electronic device

Abstract

A clip includes an integral u-shaped body of insulating material including two parallel fingers joined by a spine to define a gap between the fingers. The fingers have respective holes each sized to receive a screw, the holes being coaxial. At least one of the fingers has a projection that projects into the gap, the hole of the respective finger being contained at least partially within the projection. The body is sufficiently resilient to permit the two parallel fingers to be spread apart. A leading edge of the projection is

1. A clip comprising
 an integral unshaped body of insulating material including two parallel fingers joined by a spine to define a gap between the fingers,  
 the fingers having respective holes each sized to receive a screw, the holes being coaxial,  
 at least one of the fingers having a projection that projects into the gap, the hole of the respective finger being contained at least partially within the projection,  
 the body being sufficiently resilient to permit the two parallel fingers to be spread apart,  
 a leading edge of the projection being beveled.  
 
   
   
     2. The clip of  claim 1  in which both of the fingers have the projections and the projections project toward one another. 
   
   
     3. The clip of  claim 1  in which the projections fully surround each of the holes in the fingers. 
   
   
     4. The clip of  claim 1  also including a non-integral internally threaded nut. 
   
   
     5. The clip of  claim 4  in which a channel is defined by a wall that is integrally formed with the clip and has a hole that is coaxial with the holes of the fingers. 
   
   
     6. The clip of  claim 4  in which the nut is held in line with the two holes of the fingers. 
   
   
     7. The clip of  claim 1  also including a hook projecting in a direction other than the direction in which the fingers project from the spine of the clip. 
   
   
     8. The clip of  claim 7  in which the hook is formed integrally with the fingers of the clip. 
   
   
     9. The clip of  claim 7  in which the hook projects at a location that is on the other side of one of the fingers from the gap. 
   
   
     10. An apparatus comprising
 a metal portion of a housing of an electronic device, the metal portion including a tab having upper and lower parallel surfaces and an aperture between the surfaces configured to receive a screw,  
 the tab including guiding elements projecting above at least one of the parallel surfaces, and  
 a clip comprising 
 an integral unshaped body of insulating material including two parallel fingers joined by a spine to define a gap between the fingers, the tab lying within the gap,  
 the fingers having respective holes each sized to receive a screw, the holes being coaxial with each other and with the aperture of the tab,  
 at least one of the fingers having a projection that projects into the gap and is seated within the aperture,  
 the body being sufficiently resilient to permit the two parallel fingers to be spread apart,  
 a leading edge of the projection being beveled.  
 
 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 10  in which the guiding elements comprise ridges. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 11  in which the ridges comprises portions that lie parallel to sides of the clip, and portions that flare away from the portions that lie parallel. 
   
   
     13. A method comprising
 pressing an insulating clip against a flat metal tab of a housing of an electronic device to force two fingers of the clip apart to enable the metal tab to occupy a gap between the two fingers, and  
 pressing the insulating clip to cause a projection of one of the fingers to seat in a hole of the metal tab,  
 the clip being guided during the pressing by guiding elements that project above a surface of the tab.  
 
   
   
     14. The method of  claim 13  also including
 inserting screws through coaxial holes in the fingers and the tab to mount the housing on a metal body.  
 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 13  also including
 inserting screws through a hole in a metal sheet, through coaxial holes in the fingers and the tab, and into a nut attached to the clip.